THINGS LEFT UNSAID
by Kirbysbabe
Summary: Short story - Caje is hurt and Kirby is afraid of losing another friend.


_Fan-Fiction based on TV Show Combat! Copyright Selmur Production, Inc, ABC, Image Productions etc._

_Disclaimer: Combat! and its characters do not belong to me, t__his WWII story is a piece of fan-fiction__ and I am not being compensated in any tangible way for this story._

THINGS LEFT UNSAID

Once the squad had crossed the Rhine there was no going back. First squad had been chasing the Germans through much of Belgium and now Germany. They often wished that the Krauts would stop and make a stand.

Kirby now re-thought that wish because they were on the German's home turf and they were fighting with everything they had. It was like the Krauts were possessed. Kirby realized that if it were him and they were fighting back home in Chicago, he guessed that he'd be fighting the same way.

Item Company's Second and Third Squads were out in front with King Company's First and Second Squads bringing up the rear. The men kept moving forward yet they were as cautious as ever.

The Germans had devised a counter attack. The men from Item Company had made it to the top of a hill when all hell broke loose. Out of nowhere they heard the distinct sound of the 88's.

Billy had waited for Kirby as he stopped to remove an offending rock from his boot.

"Come on Kirby, we gotta catch up to the others."

"Awww, I am hurryin' already. I just don't understand how these damn rocks always seem to find their way inside my boot. Ya know I truly believe these are Nazi rocks and they're out to get my feet!"

Kirby and Billy were still climbing when they heard the awful whistling. The men fell to the ground and slid almost to the bottom of the hill.

Sarge, Doc and Littlejohn were more than half way when they began to scatter like ants looking for shelter wherever they could find it.

Caje had almost gotten three quarters of the way up the hill. He dropped down and made his body as small a target as possible. The blast from an 88 was in such close proximity to him that it caused him to black out.

As fast as the 88's began, they ended just as abruptly. It was quiet again but the soldiers knew it wouldn't last for long. The German forces would be attacking soon.

As each man got up he would check to see if any of his squad mates were hurt.

Doc stood up and glanced around. He noticed that Caje hadn't moved and bounded towards the man. He knelt down and turned him over onto his back.

"Caje can you hear me? Are you okay?"

The Cajun never moved or made a sound.

Littlejohn and Sarge rushed over to join Doc.

Doc began to check him over. There were no signs of any wounds.

"He's out cold, Sarge. He's probably concussed. We'll need to get him back."

"I can't spare anyone right now, you know that. I'll get Littlejohn to help you take him back down to a foxhole but he has to come right back. "

Billy and Kirby finally made it to the top. Kirby noticed that a bunch of guys were using a little dynamite or TNT to dig in because the ground was still too hard. They were going to make a stand here and now.

Something was bothering him. He couldn't put his finger on it. Kirby's eyes kept darting from place to place until they settled on Sarge and the others. His pulse began to race as he ran towards the squad. Even before he got there he knew it was Caje.

"Oh God, please let him be alright," yelled Kirby.

Kirby felt like his legs were made of jelly. The squad watched as their B.A.R. man fell down to the ground next to Caje.

Kirby barely had control over emotions. He couldn't lose another good friend. It would be too much for him. His world was spinning out of control.

"Caje, can ya open your eyes? Please Caje. Doc what's wrong with him? Can't you do somethin' for him?"

Before Doc could answer, Sarge put his hand on Kirby's shoulder.

'"Doc and Littlejohn are gonna take him back down the hill. Doc will stay with him. He'll be okay, you'll see.

Saunders wished he believed the things he was saying to Kirby. Even as he spoke the words to Kirby they didn't ring true to him.

"Wouldn't it be better if we got him back to Battalion Aid? I'll help Doc carry him back."

"Kirby listen to me, you know I want to send Caje back but you know as well as me that the Krauts will be attacking soon. We have orders to stay here and that's exactly what we are gonna do."

"But Sarge."

"Kirby that's enough; this discussion is over! Doc, you and Littlejohn get movin'. Littlejohn get back here fast."

Saunders knew how Kirby felt but he had his orders. He hated them but it was his job to follow them.

Saunders noticed that Kirby had a death grip on the B.A.R. It was if Kirby was trying to strangle the life out of the rifle or was it him? Very little bothered him anymore, he had seen too much. But it really unnerved Saunders when he saw Kirby acting that way.

Keeping his emotions intact, he said in a low deliberate voice, "Go on now help Billy dig in."

Kirby never said a word just turned on his heel and left. He was hurting so much inside that he needed to hurt someone or something. Maybe it would make him feel better. God what was he thinking. Caje was right I am my own worst enemy. The enemy; Sarge isn't my enemy. The Germans are the ones that I should be angry at, they did this to Caje.

Kirby's anger was like a Roman candle on the 4th of July. It took off and exploded everywhere and the anger ended as fast as it began. The only thing left now was the sadness.

Kirby stopped what he was doing and turned to Billy who was his number two man.

"Hey Kirby, help me set the charge."

"I'll be right back Billy; I gotta go see the Sarge."

"Yea, okay but hurry back."

Saunders was about thirty feet away from him. Kirby silently crawled back to his sergeant. Saunders was watching the horizon for any movements when Kirby touched his foot. The Sarge moved like he had just been bitten by a snake.

"Gee Sarge, thought you heard me."

"What are ya doin' back here?"

"Sarge I gotta say this, otherwise I ain't gonna have any peace."

Saunders was already irritated by him. If he didn't spit it out soon, he'd strangle Kirby.

"Well, what is it Kirby?"

"I'm sorry, it ain't your fault Caje is hurt. I blow up without thinkin'. I needed to tell ya that."

Sarge's face softened a bit. "I know you're concerned about Caje, we all are. It's okay, just get back into position."

"I'm goin' Sarge; I just needed to get that off my chest is all."

Every man was trying to make a hole as fast as they could. They knew their lives depended on it.

By the time Kirby and Billy were finished they could hear the German tanks starting their motors in the distance.

The sergeants from Item Company and Saunders decided that they needed some kind of defense. Sarge called over to Littlejohn and Kirby.

"The sergeants from Item Company and I have been talkin'. We think they're gonna wait until it gets really dark before they try and hit us. I need you to go out and help lay some concertina* and land mines; that should give us some help."

"Okay Sarge, come on Kirby, let's get out there and get it done."

With two to three men from each squad the work was done in no time flat.

The men decided not to sleep that night; they would just wait it out. The Krauts were great a sneaking up to foxholes and slitting throats.

About 2200 hours the attack started. The men could hear the tanks explode as they rolled over the land mines. The German infantry got caught in the concertina; they were being cut to ribbons. Kirby swung around and could see the Germans trying to advance. All along the line the men opened fire. Billy began firing his M-1 and Kirby joined in with his BAR.

The squad felt a little easier when they heard the steady hammer of the B.A.R. On their left flank the men from Item Company opened up with their machine guns.

The sky suddenly lit up from artillery flashes. The men could hear explosions up and down the line. To men it sounded wonderful. To the Germans it was the sound of defeat.

Kirby couldn't help but smile as he thought about what Littlejohn had said to him so many months ago. 'The American Army has the finest logistical support in the world.' Tonight he knew it was true.

Saunders could not only hear but see that the German Army was retreating. They would have to regroup and make a stand somewhere else.

It was almost 0130 hours when the last shot was heard. Very few men from any of the squads were injured and most of the injuries were minor. That in itself was a miracle.

The men would wait in their foxholes until dawn.

As Saunders walked down the hill he spotted Doc reading the small Bible he always carried.

"Any change?"

Doc glanced up from his reading and gave a slight shake of his head. "I jest don't know why he hasn't come around yet Sarge, it's really troublin' me."

"You've been sittin' here a long time. Why don't you let me stay with him for a bit, go get yourself somethin' to eat? They just brought in some hot chow."

"Are ya sure, Sarge; how about you?"

"Yea, go ahead; I grabbed some food before I came over here."

"Thanks, Sarge."

"Hey Doc, take your time."

Saunders sat down next to Caje. The Sarge stared at the man as if could will him to open his eyes. Caje hadn't moved.

Kirby walked over and sat at the edge of the foxhole. "Sarge would you mind if I sat with him for awhile?"

"Why don't you get some rest Kirby?"

"I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to. My mind is racing in ten different directions but mostly it's about Caje."

"Alright Kirby, Doc just went to get somethin' to eat. The ambulances should be comin' soon anyway. I'll let Doc know you're here."

"Thanks Sarge."

Kirby slid down into the foxhole after Saunders had left. He looked down at the man that had become almost as close to him as his brother George.

"Caje", he whispered. "Ya gotta wake up now. The Krauts are on the run again, we gave them a good lickin'. Please Caje, I don't know what we'll do, hell, I don't know what to do if you don't come around soon. You're my best friend and I ain't got many of them left anymore. I can't lose another friend over here, it's too hard."

Kirby rubbed his eyes hard as if he were trying to keep the tears in his eyes from falling.

"Hey _mon ami_ what were you saying?"

"Caje?"

"Yea, what is it Kirby?"

"You had us so scared Caje, you've been out for more than ten hours, how do ya feel?"

"I got a headache and I'm thirsty."

Kirby handed Caje his canteen. Caje drank the canteen dry.

"I guess you were thirsty! I'm just glad to see you're alright."

"Kirby am I really your best friend?"

"You heard all that?"

"Yea, I heard it but you know what you're my best friend too. You're just an old softy at heart Kirby."

"If you let that get around Caje, the headache you've got now is nothing compared to what I'll give ya."

Caje laughed as he held his head. "Okay, okay, you win; I won't say a word. You think you got us all buffaloed but you don't we all know you are a really good guy."

Kirby could feel the redness rise all the way to the top of his forehead.

For once Kirby had nothing more to say. He just nodded. He sat next to Caje with a silly grin on his face. He was happy his friend would be fine and that's all that mattered."

THE END

*Concertina is barbed wire rolled in coils.


End file.
